Stride aims to raise awareness for need of blood donations

Last year, Stride the Walk for Blood doubled the number of runners it had the year before.

According to Alina Rudnik, one of the run’s organizers, the Canadian Blood Services Edmonton Youth Committee hopes to keep this momentum going, doubling last year’s numbers from 200 to 400 athletes.

Now in its third year, Stride aims to help raise awareness that blood donations are needed year round, even in the summer months in which, according to Rudnik, donations tend to fall off as people go on vacation or just stop thinking about the importance of the act.

“The need for blood (donations) never goes away,” Rudnik said.

The run goes from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 11 at Wilfred Laurier Park. Runners register at the park at 9:30 a.m.

Runners can register for the seven-kilometre run or the four-kilometre walk at blood clinics or online at the Running Room’s website for $10 and $12.50, respectively. This fee covers the running package, a T-shirt and a barbecue at the event.

The deadline for pledges and applications is Aug. 9.

Instead of pledging funds for the Canadian Blood Services, donors agree to donate one unit (450 ml) of blood to a runner.

Runners are encouraged to have at least one donor. Pledges can be made at blood clinics in Edmonton.

An average adult has five litres of blood in his or her body, Rudnik explained, which is a fairly small proportion. However, the amount of blood needed for each medical procedure varies.

It can take up to 50 donors to save someone who has been in a car accident, and cancer patients may need up to eight units of blood per week, she said, noting that these are just averages.

Most of the blood donated at the event will stay in Edmonton, but some of it may go elsewhere, Rudnik said.

“Generally speaking, if you donated in Edmonton, the blood will stay in the hospitals in the vicinity.”

As of a week and a half ago, this year’s stride has 70 runners. However, usually there is a burst of last-minute applications which should bolster this number, said Rudnik.